The invention generally relates to surgical drapes and more specifically relates to drapes having means for maintaining medical devices in position during a surgical procedure.
During a surgical procedure, it is frequently desirable to have a system for holding surgical devices such as tubes, sponges, clamps, suction tips and ring instruments in position next to a patient. Typically, a patient is covered with a surgical drape during the procedure. A number of methods currently exists to attach or maintain medical devices on the drape during the procedure. For instance, one currently used method is to clamp a medical device onto the outer surface of the drape using towel clamps. Other methods include suturing or stapling devices to the drape and/or to the patient.
In the past, various drapes have been specifically designed to assist the medical staff in maintaining medical devices in position during a procedure. Some designs include troughs or pockets which extend along the side of a fenestration. A tube may be threaded through the trough or pocket. One disadvantage of such a design is the difficulty in threading the tube through the trough. Another disadvantage of such a design is that a trough provides very limited access to the patient. In other words, since medical devices may generally only be threaded through the ends of the trough, it is generally not possible to vary the location at which medical devices are positioned. One past technique used to overcome this disadvantage is to literally cut openings in the trough during the procedure to create additional access sites. This technique is somewhat cumbersome and is undesirable because lint or pieces of drape may be brought inadvertently in contact with the incision site and thereby cause postoperative complications.
Another drape specifically designed for the purpose of holding medical devices includes tabs formed of a nonwoven material which contain at least one hole in the tab through which the device may be threaded. Such tabs are generally known in the industries as "cord-holding tabs." Although such tabs may be useful in some circumstances, in situations in which the medical device is relatively heavy, or may be subjected to stress, the tabs may tear. If the tab tears, the medical device may slip and impair its ability to perform its intended function.
A relatively recent design for maintaining medical equipment involves the use of a pouch. In such cases, the pouch is generally located in close proximity to an incision site. The pouch may include various means to adjust its shape. For instance, the pouch may be formed from a single sheet of material and include an adhesive strip along two opposing edges. The sheet may be folded upon itself and sealed along its edges to form the pouch. Medical personnel may place a device along the length of the sheet, then fold the sheet and seal it along its edges to maintain the device in position. Similar to the disadvantages discussed above with respect to the trough design, a drape having such a pouch is limited in its usefulness because medical devices can only enter and exit the pouch at its ends.
It is therefore an object of the subject invention to provide a device for maintaining medical devices during a procedure which is relatively versatile with regard to placement of the devices.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for maintaining medical instruments securely in position and in close proximity to a surgical site.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a surgical drape which is relatively simple and low cost to manufacture.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a surgical drape having medical device maintaining means which is relatively simple and straight forward for medical personnel to use.
These and other objects of the subject invention will be more readily understood based on following description of the invention.